On the stageToo shy to ever appear on stage myself, I still hung around theatres like a bad smell when I was younger - lighting and set design were what I was good at.
Backstage we'd attempt to sabotage every production - us lighting geeks would wind up the sound man by putting the remote "pause" button for his reel-to-reel tape machine on his chair, so when he sat down it'd start running, ruining his cues. Actors would do scenes out of order to make our lives hell. It was great and I don't know why I don't still do it.
Tell us your stories of life on the stage.
(
chthonic, Fri 2 Dec 2005, 11:02)
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Twelve legged girl sings with Harlem New York ChoirOnce upon a time, at Friday night/late night Victoria & Albert museum, I was cruising around with a group of friends checking stuff out, as you do... A couple of them I hadn't seen for about six years as they had just moved to London so this was our first 'catch up'.
Someone mentioned that there was a choir singing in one of the annexes.. Sauntering along the corridor, friends in tow, I hear the sound of 70 black people on stage - the entire New York Harlem Choir, belting out gospel tracks... Fascinated, I stood there... sucked in by the sound... I find myself pushing my way to the front, shoving people in wheelchairs over... I was compelled by the music, and possibly God??? Or some poultergeist lurking within the V&A, more likely. The gospel drew me further and further in... Suddenly, the choir leader announced: "Does anyone want to come up on stage and sing with us???" Suddenly excited, I pushed my five foot nothing friend up towards the stage (she's an actress) who rushed up there, very excited at having her five minutes of fame again and certainly not needing any encouragement... I suddenly heard a voice inside me say, 'Fuck it, Rosalita, you will never get this opportunity again...'. Next thing I know, I'm walking the plank up onto the stage, my actress friend looking more than a little confused and if I dare say it, horrified. By this stage, there are only four extra people on stage - including me...
My actress friend can kind of hold a tune... Unfortunately for me, I only had one glass of red prior to getting up on stage so my vocal chords weren't relaxed and I was a tad nervous (well, essentially, I'm FAAAAAAAR from being a performer but can hold a note or two after a glass or two - can't everyone??)... 'LET IT SHINE, LET IT SHINE, LET IT SHIIIIIIIIIIIIINE', came out of me, in a fantastic seven second solo piece...
My other friends stood and watched in utter disbelief as I did my solo, clapping, laughing with glee, I could see the tears of laughter falling onto the parquetry floor... Hmmm... I was loving it! Actually, I do have to say that there was general support for me from my friends.. it's just that half of them hadn't seen me for six years... 'So this is the new Rosalita??'
Twenty minutes later, I'm in the toilet queue by myself, contemplating my performance, critiquing my show, when a 60 year old black woman came up to me and said in a New Yawwwk accent, 'I liked your singing!!!!' Compliment number one.
Skip forward three hours and everyone is outside the V&A, trolleyed, hanging out on the steps, I'm hanging with the choir leader, talkin' gospel music and stuff... Turns out he didn't recognise me. At all. I had to REMIND him of who I was! Talk about the highs and lows of fame... Sigh. I sauntered home and I think I may have drank another bottle of red...
Well, at least I can say I've sung with the Harlem New York Choir, eh??? Somewhere, there is digital footage of me taken by my friend Teef, but think he was too busy laughing at me so I am positive it's blury.
Signed Rosalita
(, Fri 2 Dec 2005, 17:27, Reply)
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